'We've Had To Be Flexible And Evolve Our Style'

Rebuilding their rundown home exhausted their budget, so the Pedersens have devised room schemes that develop as their finances allow

- Camilla Skott and Andrea Childs

Work with what you’ve got

‘Don’t get hung up on “indoor” and “outdoor” furniture,’ says Monika. ‘I’ve used a mix of both on our deck so it feels like a proper room and we use it more.’ The exterior was painted with leftover mint green paint from a neighbour: ‘It gives the house a fresh and summery seaside feel.’

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With its double-height ceiling, beams and open staircase, this house has the features of a spacious loft apartment, but tucked into the 109sq m confines of a cosy cottage. Built in the style of a typical Danish summer house, it is tucked away on the site of a former community garden in the heart of the city. ‘Families live here all year round now, so we are close to our neighbours but we can also see the plants growing and hear the birds,’ says Monika Pedersen. ‘It’s the perfect combination of social city living and urban oasis.’

Monika and her husband Henrik bought the house in 2010. Two years later, they started a two-year renovation project, living in one room with their children, Frigg and Falke, as the house was torn down around them. ‘As soon as we started looking behind the walls, we realised the place was in a bad state,’ says Monika. ‘We had to rip everything out – walls, floors, windows. All that’s left of the old house are the roof and rafters.’